title: Novel 95G>A (R32K) somatic mosaic connexin 32 mutation.
abstract: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is among the most common inherited disorders of the peripheral nervous system, and it is broadly categorized as demyelinating type 1 or axonal type 2 based on nerve conduction studies. Mutations in discrete genes usually segregate into a single phenotype. However, mutations in connexin 32 (Cx32) can produce both axonal and demyelinating CMT phenotypes. Although over 300 mutations have been described in Cx32, somatic mosaicism has only been reported once previously. We report a 39-year-old man who was referred for electrodiagnostic evaluation due to a history of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. His physical examination and electrodiagnostic findings demonstrated a mild sensorimotor axonal peripheral neuropathy. Sequencing of his Cx32 (GJB1) gene identified a guanine-to-adenine (G>A) transition at nucleotide position 95. This transition mutation involved approximately one-third of leukocyte-derived genomic DNA. This is the second reported case of somatic mosaicism, and it highlights the phenotypic diversity among CMTX patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Neuromuscular Disease Clinic, McMaster University Medical Center, 120 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada.
authors.forename: Steven K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, London Health Sciences Center, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Biochemistry, London Health Sciences Center, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Cara C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Reith
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, London Health Sciences Center, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Biochemistry, London Health Sciences Center, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ainsworth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000409:Alanine / Q000235:genetics*; D001120:Arginine / Q000235:genetics*; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein
chemical_list: D000409:Alanine; D001120:Arginine; D017630:Connexins; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein